What Color Is Your Parachute?
by Richard N. Bolles
Mentioned once across 1 show · first heard May 2026 on My First Million.
The general take
Tom Freston credits What Color Is Your Parachute? as the only self-help book he ever bought, saying it fundamentally changed his life by helping him understand how his skills connect to his personality. He's not alone—he mentions hearing from another successful person recently who said the same thing. The book's simple premise clearly resonated with him as genuinely transformative.
About
The groundbreaking, indispensable guide to rewarding work and a fulfilling life—more than ten million copies sold! For more than fifty years, What Color Is Your Parachute? has transformed the way people think about job hunting. Whether searching for that first position, recovering from a layoff, or dreaming of a career change, What Color Is Your Parachute? has shown millions of readers how to network effectively, compose impressive resumes and cover letters, interview with confidence, and negotiate the best possible salary—while discovering how to make their livelihood part of authentic living. More than a job-hunting book, Richard N. Bolles’s timeless wisdom and famed self-assessment exercise clarifies seven key dimensions, so you can uncover your greatest passions, most valued traits, and transferable skills to design a life that enables you to flourish.
Who said what
Tom Freston👍 Recommends
…how a self-help book led tom freston to pivot from clothing business to media
“Well, I heard that you read a book. Yes, I bought a book. The only self-help book I ever bought. It's called, and it was the first edition. What Color Is Your Parachute? You're the second successful person I've talked to in the last month that said that book changed their life. That book so changed my life, and it is a simple premise. You have a series of skills that come out of your personality, and you've built them, and they're transferable from one industry to another.”
My First Million — The insane true story behind MTVat 00:47
Listener reviews
Bought What Color Is Your Parachute? after hearing about it? Tell everyone how it went.